Overview

Hammer of the Scots is a two-player block wargame by Columbia Games recreating the Wars of Scottish Independence (1297-1314). One player commands the Scots (blue blocks), the other the English (red blocks). Using the block/fog-of-war system, blocks stand upright facing their owner, hiding unit identities and strengths from the opponent. Players use cards to determine initiative and group movement, then fight battles using a dice-based combat system. The objective is to control a majority of Scottish nobles at the end of the game.

Components

• 1 map board of Scotland and northern England
• Wooden blocks (blue for Scots, red for English) representing nobles, infantry, archers, cavalry, knights, leaders (Wallace, Edward, Scottish King)
• Block stickers showing unit type, strength (1-4), movement rate, and combat rating (letter + number)
• Card deck (move cards and event cards)
• Dice (d6)

Setup

Set up blocks according to the chosen scenario:

• Braveheart (1297-1305): Wallace-led Scottish rebellion through Edward I’s campaigns.
• The Bruce (1306-1314): Robert the Bruce’s fight for Scottish independence.
• Both scenarios can be played as a campaign game.

Both players start each year with 5 cards dealt from the shuffled deck.

Turn Structure

Each Year consists of 1-5 Game Turns. Each Game Turn has 4 phases:

1. Card Phase

Each player plays 1 card face-down. Cards are revealed simultaneously. The higher card determines Player 1 (ties go to the English). Event cards are resolved first.

2. Move Phase

The card determines how many Group Moves (1, 2, or 3) a player can make. Blocks move up to their movement rate in areas. Blocks must stop when crossing a red border or entering an enemy-occupied area.

3. Battle Phase

Battles are fought one at a time in any order chosen by Player 1. Each battle lasts up to 3 combat rounds. The attacker must retreat after round 3 if the battle is unresolved.

4. Repeat

Steps 1-3 repeat until the year ends (all 5 cards played, or both players play Event cards simultaneously).

Winter Turn

After each year ends:

1. Nobles go home (may defect if home area is enemy-occupied)
2. Scottish King may move to a friendly/neutral cathedral area or disband
3. English disbanding (archers, knights, hobelars must disband; infantry may stay within castle limits)
4. Edward wintering (special restrictions apply)
5. Scottish disbanding (over castle limits)
6. Winter builds (replacement points from castle ratings)
7. English Feudal Levy (draw half of draw pool, deploy at full strength in England)
8. Deal 5 new cards to each player

Actions

Card Play

• Move Cards: Allow 1, 2, or 3 group moves based on card value. Higher card = Player 1.
• Event Cards: Special historical events. Resolved before movement. If both play events, both resolve (English first) and the year ends immediately.
• Players may pass but effects cannot be saved.

Movement

• A group = all blocks in one area. Move as many groups as the card allows.
• Blocks move up to their movement rate in areas.
• Border Limits: Max 6 blocks across a black border, max 2 blocks across a red border per Move Phase.
• Blocks crossing a red border must stop.
• Anglo-Scottish Border: Each movement point moves only 1 block across this border. Blocks entering England must stop.
• Blocks pass freely through friendly blocks but must stop in enemy-occupied areas.
• Norse block: Moves separately; can move from any coastal area to any other Scottish coastal area.

Pinning

All attacking blocks (including reserves) pin an equal number of defending blocks (defender chooses which are pinned). Unpinned defending blocks may move normally but cannot cross borders used by the attacker.

Combat

Battles last up to 3 combat rounds. Combat sequence:

1. All blocks with rating A fire first (defenders before attackers), then B, then C.
2. Each block rolls dice equal to its current Strength. Hits scored on rolls equal to or less than the combat rating number.
3. Each hit reduces the strongest enemy block by 1 strength (rotate block). Owner chooses among tied blocks.
4. Hits are applied immediately (not simultaneous).
5. On its combat turn, a block may Fire, Retreat, or Pass.

Combat Reserves

• Blocks arriving from different borders or extra group moves are placed in Reserve.
• Reserve blocks cannot fire, retreat, or take hits in Round 1. They are revealed at Round 2 start.

Retreats

• Blocks retreat to adjacent friendly or neutral areas on their combat turn.
• Cannot retreat through borders used by the enemy to enter the battle.
• Border limits apply per combat round.
• Blocks that cannot retreat are eliminated.
• English may never retreat into Scotland; Scots may never retreat into England.

Regrouping

After a battle, victorious blocks may move to any adjacent friendly or neutral area (border limits apply).

Capturing Nobles

When a noble is eliminated in combat, it switches sides at Strength 1 and is placed in reserve. Moray never changes allegiance — eliminated Moray is removed from the game permanently.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Standard Victory

Control a majority of nobles at the end of the scenario. If both control 7 nobles (with Moray in play), the English win if Wallace is dead or in the Draw Pool; otherwise the Scots win.

Sudden Death Victory

An instant victory occurs when:

• A player controls ALL nobles in play at the end of a Game Turn (Moray must be dead or in Draw Pool for English to win this way).
• The Scottish King is eliminated in battle (English win).
• Edward II is eliminated in battle (Scots win).

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Block secrecy: Blocks face their owner, hiding identity and strength from the opponent. Only revealed in battle.
• Celtic Unity: Each time Welsh and Ulster blocks enter battle, roll a die. On 5-6, the block goes to the Draw Pool.
• Nobles have two blocks: One red (English-allied), one blue (Scots-allied). Only one is in play at a time. When a noble defects, swap the block.
• Scottish Coronation: The Scots may crown a king (Bruce, Comyn, or Balliol) once per game under specific conditions (Wallace must be dead for Bruce/Comyn; specific event card played; candidate must be in Fife). Crowning causes opposing-faction nobles to defect.
• Edward I becomes Edward II at end of 1306 or when killed. Edward II cannot winter in Scotland.
• French Knights: Added to Scottish Draw Pool when Scots control 8+ nobles.
• Castle Limits: Determine how many blocks may winter in an area. Cathedrals provide extra replacement points for Scots.
• Schiltrom bonus: All Scottish infantry fire at +1 in battles when the English side has no archers.
• Nobles defending home: Nobles fire at B3 when defending their Home Area.
• Eliminated blocks with black cross are permanently eliminated. Others go to the Draw Pool.

Player Reference

Phase	Action
Card Phase	Both play 1 card simultaneously; higher = Player 1
Move Phase	1-3 group moves based on card value
Battle Phase	Fight battles in Player 1’s chosen order
Winter Turn	Nobles home, disband, build, levy, new cards

Border Type	Limit	Stop Required?
Black	6 blocks	No
Red	2 blocks	Yes
Anglo-Scottish	1 block per movement point	Yes (entering England)

Combat: Roll d6 per Strength. Hit = roll ≤ Combat Rating. Apply to strongest enemy block.

Victory: Control majority of nobles at game end, or achieve Sudden Death conditions